Inside the New York Yankees clubhouse with MLB.com beat writer Bryan Hoch.

Hal Steinbrenner: “Jobs are not riding on this”

As the Yankees battle for playoff position in the season’s final three games, Hal Steinbrenner said that no positions are on the line, regardless of what happens in the tight American League East race with the Orioles.

“Are jobs riding on this? Not that I know of,” Steinbrenner said. “Jobs are not riding on this. But that’s not something I’m concerned about right now. We look at everything in the offseason, as we always do.”

That sounds like good news for general manager Brian Cashman and manager Joe Girardi, not that either was expected to be in any danger.

Steinbrenner is buckling up for what promises to be a wild finish to the division race, as his Yankees hope to hold off Buck Showalter’s Orioles and achieve their goal of winning the American League East title. New York held a 10-game lead in the division on July 18.

“Look, it’s tense. It’s tense,” Steinbrenner said on Monday outside the Yankees clubhouse. “There’s a lot we expect of them and there’s a lot riding on this and a lot riding on doing well. We all feel obligated to our fans and succeeding on their behalf. It’s at times stressful.”

Steinbrenner again lauded the Yankees’ crop of young pitching, including David Phelps, who will start Tuesday against the Red Sox. Steinbrenner has said that developing pitching is integral to the Yankees’ plan of reducing payroll below $189 million for the 2014 season.

“I’ve made it clear that it’s very important to me for several reasons,” Steinbrenner said. “Again, you’re talking about a 10 percent reduction in payroll. I don’t see that as an outrageous concept. I never have.”

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